Detroit Free Press Slaps Down Wine Monopolists

Posted by Tom Wark on Feb 11, 2005

Detroit Free Press Reporter Jennifer Dixon absolutely pummeled the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association today in a series of articles that outline essentially how they purchase influence all across the Michigan State Government.

Trips to the Caribbean for Michigan lawmakers. Very generous campaign contributions. Millions of dollars contributed annually. And what do they get for their largesse? What would you think? Near monopoly status. The complete absence of any competition. A state government willing to go the supreme court to protect the wholesalers’ interests.

I’ve watched the direct shipping battles pretty closely for many years. I’ve never seen one media outlet choose to go after the evil ones like Dixon did today.

Will it have any affect? Not as much as one would hope. It appears the Wholesalers association’s governmental acquisitions are perfectly legal. What this means is that no matter what happens with the Supreme Court’s ruling on the direct shipping of wine, you can bet everything that the Wholesalers, the Michigan legislature, the executive branch and the regulatory bodies will be working in tandem to assure that those crazy mom and pop wineries in Lodi, California don’t get their way and start shipping cases and cases of wine to all the minors just salivating for their $25 Zinfandel.

Beer, wine wholesalers are life of politicians’ parties

When the wholesalers’ lobbyist comes calling, Capitol doors open

Michigan State law is at root of wholesale power

Michigan beer and wine distributors have it made. And they wine, dine and finance legislators to keep it that way